FAQautism

For a variety of reasons, it is difficult for some individuals with autism to learn practical life skills. In the previous podcast – Self Sufficiency – we explored some of the skills necessary for living as independently as possible. Now we will look at some strategies for teaching self-sufficiency.

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Whether a person will grow up to live independently or in a supported setting, they can benefit from our helping shape practical skills such as grooming, managing money, getting a job, making friends, reading, cooking, and communicating with others. Let’s look at some ideas for systematically teaching these critical skills.

1. Start early. Don’t wait until a youngster is preparing to graduate from high school to begin teaching life skills. Even pre-school children can pick out their own clothes, put napkins on the table, put silverware in the dishwasher basket after a meal, and comprehend the meaning of stop signs or men/women signs on a public restroom door.

2. Don’t nag. Very few individuals – whether they are diagnosed with autism or not – respond well to our nagging. Instead of saying, “You always leave your clothes on the floor,” you can say, “All clothes in the hamper. Now. Every day.” If you are like many parents, you might catch yourself saying something like, “You never understand anything. How do you expect me to just have money running out my ears? I get so tired of you asking me to buy something for you, so just don’t ask me again.” A better method for teaching self-responsibilities and money management might be, for example, to give the youngster a jar or box to save his money until he have enough to purchases the DVD on his own.

3. Chaining. Some parents and teachers teach new skills by chaining, i.e. breaking each skill down into steps and just teaching one step at a time. For example, if a youngster is learning to put fresh linens on a bed, the parents might put on the sheets while the youngster puts a pillowslip on the pillow. Over time, the youngster will learn to put on sheets with hand-over-hand assistance, then gradually put sheets on the bed with minimal help. Even if your friend with autism has very limited motor skills or cognitive skills, they can still learn to help to one degree or another.

TIP FOR THE DAY. Remember that perfection is not the goal. Instead, you are gradually and systematically helping your friend with autism learn new skills one step at a time so they can live as independently as possible as they grow into adults. Even if the individual lives in a very supported environment as an adult, he should still be encouraged to be as self-sufficient as possible so he can enjoy that feeling of accomplishment and so the patience of caregivers will not grow thin.

NOTE TO READERS AND LISTENERS: I am Cathy Knoll, a board certified music therapist and long-time friend of many folks with autism. At FAQautism.com we are committed to providing free, practical, everyday tips for making life better for people with autism. Feel free to send me a confidential email at talk@FAQautism.com with your thoughts or challenging situations or innovative solution. And don’t forget to check out our website for a wealth of ideas and a glimpse into the world of autism. http://FAQautism.com

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